Old fart relearning Photography

[Terry Again]

Hi All,
I used to shoot 35mm a lot in the past. Never great at it but I had fun!! Then for some reason I stopped? And 9 years ago My family and I were Christmas shopping and had a car accident where my 7 year old son was killed and 5 year old twin brother and sister were in a coma for a couple of weeks and I had a broken neck in 3 places and a really broken skull and my brains were coming out of the cracks. A life flight later I had a total of 3 brain surgeries and had almost the right side of my brain either removed or lost the use of! And was in a coma for 40 days. I'm sort of OK now? little to no short term memory and that makes it hard to learn things!! I'm here to try!! I hope you all don't get too sick of my simple questions? About all this photography.
I only say all this not for any Pitty but for understanding of my questions here!!
Thanks for the site and info,

 

[SuzanneR]

Oh my goodness... I hope you find your inspiration in photography, and ask away. Welcome to APUG.

 

[philldresser]

Welcome Terry
Thats quite a story, I hope its something you can put behind you and look to the future.

You'll find that this is a site with a great membership which openly assist in the most basic of questions, often repeatedly.

Hope APUG gives you what you need

Phill
Norwich, UK

 

[benjiboy]

A very warm welcome Terry, from another old fart.

 

[simulatordan]

Hello Terry,

From one 'Old Fart' to another; I'm probable an older fart than you. I restarted photography after a long lapse about 5 years ago then found this site and have learned a lot from this gang. There are no stupid questions.

So welcome and well met.

Regards Daniel

 

[takef586]

Great to hear from you Terry. Keep it simple. Tri-X and off you go...

 

[Pinholemaster]

The world can only learn from the way you see. Go out and make pictures.

What you have been through, which is simply horrible with my sincerest condolences, will shape your voice as it appears in your photographs.

Don't worry about the technical. Mastering the technical takes a life time.

 

[panastasia]

Welcome Terry, I'm an old fart too, been at it for years and still learning.

Paul

 

[Steve Smith]

Welcome.

Please ask whatever you like regardless of how simple it may seem. We have all asked simple questions at some stage.



Steve.

 

[Whiteymorange]

One of the most amazing things about APUG for me has been the lack of scorn shown even my most determined display of ignorance. This is a pretty supportive place. Welcome aboard, from another old fart and brain surgery survivor.

 

[Kvistgaard]

Welcome to the site from a slightly younger fart. I symphatise with your story, and hope with Pinholemaster that it will influence your photographic vision and expression.

 

[luvmydogs]

Welcome Terry. You will find that people are very ready and willing to answer questions and help here on Apug.

 

[Uhner]

Hello Terry, and a warm welcome from Norway.


Claes

 

[photogolf]

Another, another old fart here. Sorry to hear about all the tragedy that you have experienced. Keep your head up and enjoy APUG..a great forum to visit.

 

[Fintan]

Hello and welcome from Ireland

 

[ricksplace]

Welcome Terry. Ask any questions you want to. As Whitey said, this is a pretty amazing place.

 

[Bill Mitchell]

Terry, I'm certainly sorry to hear of your misfortunes.
You'll find that Photography has changed monumentally since your accident.
Film based photography is essentially a dying art, now almost exclusively practiced only by those of us who spent years of our lives learning (and sometimes perfecting) the technical aspect of the process.
Film is OUT -- Digital is IN, which in your case it may be a particularly good thing, because (like Polaroid of old) everything is instantaneous, and thus your short-term memory will be much less of a problem.
I will probably get fried for saying this, but I would suggest that you go with the flow and take up digital photography and forget about (sorry about the pun) conventional photography as you once knew it.

 

[markbarendt]

I admire your initiative, I only hope that I would have such resolve in similar circumstances.

Even without injury I try to write myself process notes to define my best practices. Someday it would be handy to put them in a pocketable book.

 

[Terry Again]

Thanks for the welcomes and kind words!! I hope that getting back into photography helps me get exercise walking and helps me to reduce the strong depression I have to deal with since then. I have a Friend in New Zealand that has had 2 strokes and can't use his Minolta SRT-100 camera and is sending to me!! I have a Minolta XG-1 that needs a repair of the film advance? And a new lens now my 14 year old son trashed it Big Time!! And where is the best place to buy film now and what is a good film to buy? My wife and I are both on SS disability and that money don't go far after a 725 mortage payment and all the other bills and food are done!! I wonder IF there's a person or persons that live about 70 miles from me that could be a friend to talk about cameras and maybe help me fix the XG-1??? Oh another problem I have now is Long posts and replies!! And spelling and construction of sentences and what not of the English/American!!

 

[Terry Again]

Hello and welcome from Ireland

I hope to visit Ireland some day and see IF I have any relatives there in any of the counties? My last name is Houlihan!!

 

[bobwysiwyg]

Oh another problem I have now is Long posts and replies!! And spelling and construction of sentences and what not of the English/American!!

They seem fine to me. Welcome from another GHOF getting back into film.

 

[Terry Again]

Terry, I'm certainly sorry to hear of your misfortunes.
You'll find that Photography has changed monumentally since your accident.
Film based photography is essentially a dying art, now almost exclusively practiced only by those of us who spent years of our lives learning (and sometimes perfecting) the technical aspect of the process.
Film is OUT -- Digital is IN, which in your case it may be a particularly good thing, because (like Polaroid of old) everything is instantaneous, and thus your short-term memory will be much less of a problem.
I will probably get fried for saying this, but I would suggest that you go with the flow and take up digital photography and forget about (sorry about the pun) conventional photography as you once knew it.

Hi Bill I have a Sony digi camera and 2 things about I don't like or get used to is The view finder is a large LCD? I keep putting it up to my eye like a SLR and holding out like it's supposed to be used I have a hard time trying to compose the photo! And try to set it to manual control and try to use it that way is a PITA!! I'd like to try to relearn using it so when I get the Minolta from New Zealand Friend I won't waste film and cost of it and developing cost!! I never learned the darkroom skills. And now can't afford to start a darkroom for color or B&W? I have to check on prices of used equipment and Chemicals. I have a friend that lives with us and she has the experience in the darkroom I need to learn. Maybe this site might do a For Sale Forum?

 

[papagene]

Terry - welcome to APUG from western Massachusetts. Don't be afraid to ask even the simplest of questions. We all started out as beginners.

gene

 

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

Terry , Your son can help you.
You need cheapest plastic camera.
You dont need repair your old camera.
I think with 15 dollars , you can shoot and order prints.
There are plastic cameras ready , film loaded and with flash.
Let your son search and buy fot you.
Say him to read this post.
Best ,
Umut

 

[tpersin]

Welcome Terry....
Good luck in your photographic pursuit! Here's a fun project for you and your son... build a folded paper pinhole camera! the cost of the camera is free (use an old cereal box!) and it takes 35mm film... you can't get much cheaper than that!

here's a link with the plans:
http://idea.uwosh.edu/nick/populist.pdf